Bernie Sanders’ stepdaughter runs for mayor in Vermont

New York (AFP) – The Bernie Sanders political dynasty is expanding. First son Levi announced a run for Congress and now stepdaughter Carina is running for his old job as mayor of Burlington.

Vermont’s largest city of 42,000 went to the polls Tuesday to elect a mayor in a three-way race between independent Carina Driscoll, Democratic incumbant Miro Weinberger and fellow independent challenger Infinite Culcleasure.

Driscoll’s mother is Jane O’Meara, who had three children from a previous relationship when she married the now independent senator from Vermont in 1988.

Driscoll is running on a progressive platform similar that of her well-known stepfather.

“I’m asking for your vote because City Hall is not listening to us, and is catering to private interests instead of working for the people who live here,” she says on her website, promising economic opportunities, green businesses and affordable housing.

​Driscoll grew up in Burlington, graduated from the University of Montana and moved back to Burlington with her husband. The mother of two set up the Vermont Woodworking School in 2007, which now has 40 full-time students.

Driscoll served previously in the Vermont state legislature, the Burlington city council, and as assistant to mayor Weinberger. She also worked on Sanders’ Congress re-election campaign in 2000.

Sanders, who electrified populists and left-leaners in the 2016 US presidential race before losing the Democratic Party nomination to Hillary Clinton, got his political start as mayor of Burlington from 1981-89.

Son Levi Sanders announced last month that he was running for Congress in the state of New Hampshire, also pushing a platform similar to that of his father.